A boy with a gift: part IV
Please read the part I to III of the short story first, before starting with fourth. You will find them right below part IV.
The panchayat decided to preside over the case. An investigation from the police was not required because everyone knew the identity and circumstances of homicide. Witnesses were many since the family had been a source of entertainment for the community since long. The date was set. people were curious as there was division in the community regarding who was the victim- a poor woman who was physically abused and assaulted for years and only tried to defend herself when the accident happened or a man who lost everything dear when he found out that his wife had an affair and was planning to elope, and was brutally murdered when he tried to stop them.
The day came, the whole village accumulated to hear about the scandal of the year, so did Sumitra, chottu, nana and nani. The jurors were picked, the witnesses called one by one. Questions were fired, answers were served, story was told and retold in different perspectives and people absorbed every word like a sponge absorbs oil. Both the sides were going equally strong, until Dev's drinking colleagues were called on the stand. All sobered up and in clean whites, there own family members were hardly able to recognise them.
They sobbed for the loss of there friend, and talked about what a good person he was. How kind, brave, religious was he, that even the gods would mourn his loss they said. That he had known about his wife's affair since long, and a piece of him died everyday in pain. He drank to drown his pain, and lord knows he needed a lot of liquor for that. But when he realised that his wife was about to elope with that man, the wife he loved, adored and respected so much, he couldn't bear it any more. He left us saying today he will finally confront her and ask her what the noble man didn't do for his family that she is punishing her. But that women conspired with her lover and murdered her own husband in cold blood.
She is a ruthless killer and she must pay for it, said one of them.
She is a lying, conspiring whore. She is the rotten apple of the community, if not stopped she will rot all our mothers and sisters brain, said another one.
While all this crap was being washed into peoples head, some bought it while some didn't.
Deepa was brought up next. She was waiting for her turn impatiently for she had a lot to say:
She knew Sumitra from childhood, they grew up in same locality, went to the same school and got married at the same time. Sumitra was there when no one else was in her life. She said, Sumitra is a wonderful women with a big heart, but god often tests and punishes the good kind. When her life went south, all of the villagers forgot that, none came out to help her instead, they abandoned her and often blamed her. How was it in anyway that poor women's fault. Her husband was a monster. He abused her and beat her so bad, her son too. She suffered badly for so many years. I couldn't take it anymore. It was me who convinced her to run away. It was me who offered her my husband's help, and no, there was nothing illegitimate going on between Sumitra and Deepa's husband, for her husband was loyal like a swan. These drunkards who spoke earlier dressed like pundits, what do they know about any of it. They are lying about everything, to support their dead evil comrade. A man who beats his own wife and children everyday, who is drunk all the time, who cannot provide for his family because he lost everything in gambling, deserves no place and respect in this society. All the women were moved. Deepa's husband was called, he corroborated everything that Deepa said.
By a majority, it was decided that Sumitra was innocent, she attacked her husband in defence and also made a statement about respecting and cherishing women in their own lives, for they are the Laxmi, Saraswati, and Durga for their families. Justice was served. Everybody went home happy and satisfied.
On the way home to Jaunpur, Sumitra explained to Chottu that the dream he saw was just a coincidence, and that he shouldn't think so much about it, he was just a child.
Sumitra took up a small job in Jaunpur. Since it paid better then her village work, Chottu need not make any tea deliveries, in fact by her wish Chottu got enrolled in a nearby school.
On his first morning to school, Chottu was very excited but also vexed about something he saw in his dreams last night. to take of his mind of it, he spoke about it to his mother:
"Amma, kal raat ek aur sapna dekha, pura Jaunpur bazaar mein aag lag gaya tha, bahot log jal kar mar gaye, nana bhi wahin the, unka bahot bura haal ho gaya tha. Mai bahot darr gaya tha, nana ko bolo wo aaj bazaar na jaye."
She replied: "Chottu! Aisa kuch bhi nahi hoga, tu chinta na kar, school ja kar padhai kar, magar mai phir bhi nana ko mana kar deti hun, theek hai na."
Chottu smiled and ran away. Off he went to the school, he was happy like never before.
Next part soon.
Stay tuned.
The panchayat decided to preside over the case. An investigation from the police was not required because everyone knew the identity and circumstances of homicide. Witnesses were many since the family had been a source of entertainment for the community since long. The date was set. people were curious as there was division in the community regarding who was the victim- a poor woman who was physically abused and assaulted for years and only tried to defend herself when the accident happened or a man who lost everything dear when he found out that his wife had an affair and was planning to elope, and was brutally murdered when he tried to stop them.
The day came, the whole village accumulated to hear about the scandal of the year, so did Sumitra, chottu, nana and nani. The jurors were picked, the witnesses called one by one. Questions were fired, answers were served, story was told and retold in different perspectives and people absorbed every word like a sponge absorbs oil. Both the sides were going equally strong, until Dev's drinking colleagues were called on the stand. All sobered up and in clean whites, there own family members were hardly able to recognise them.
They sobbed for the loss of there friend, and talked about what a good person he was. How kind, brave, religious was he, that even the gods would mourn his loss they said. That he had known about his wife's affair since long, and a piece of him died everyday in pain. He drank to drown his pain, and lord knows he needed a lot of liquor for that. But when he realised that his wife was about to elope with that man, the wife he loved, adored and respected so much, he couldn't bear it any more. He left us saying today he will finally confront her and ask her what the noble man didn't do for his family that she is punishing her. But that women conspired with her lover and murdered her own husband in cold blood.
She is a ruthless killer and she must pay for it, said one of them.
She is a lying, conspiring whore. She is the rotten apple of the community, if not stopped she will rot all our mothers and sisters brain, said another one.
While all this crap was being washed into peoples head, some bought it while some didn't.
Deepa was brought up next. She was waiting for her turn impatiently for she had a lot to say:
She knew Sumitra from childhood, they grew up in same locality, went to the same school and got married at the same time. Sumitra was there when no one else was in her life. She said, Sumitra is a wonderful women with a big heart, but god often tests and punishes the good kind. When her life went south, all of the villagers forgot that, none came out to help her instead, they abandoned her and often blamed her. How was it in anyway that poor women's fault. Her husband was a monster. He abused her and beat her so bad, her son too. She suffered badly for so many years. I couldn't take it anymore. It was me who convinced her to run away. It was me who offered her my husband's help, and no, there was nothing illegitimate going on between Sumitra and Deepa's husband, for her husband was loyal like a swan. These drunkards who spoke earlier dressed like pundits, what do they know about any of it. They are lying about everything, to support their dead evil comrade. A man who beats his own wife and children everyday, who is drunk all the time, who cannot provide for his family because he lost everything in gambling, deserves no place and respect in this society. All the women were moved. Deepa's husband was called, he corroborated everything that Deepa said.
By a majority, it was decided that Sumitra was innocent, she attacked her husband in defence and also made a statement about respecting and cherishing women in their own lives, for they are the Laxmi, Saraswati, and Durga for their families. Justice was served. Everybody went home happy and satisfied.
On the way home to Jaunpur, Sumitra explained to Chottu that the dream he saw was just a coincidence, and that he shouldn't think so much about it, he was just a child.
Sumitra took up a small job in Jaunpur. Since it paid better then her village work, Chottu need not make any tea deliveries, in fact by her wish Chottu got enrolled in a nearby school.
On his first morning to school, Chottu was very excited but also vexed about something he saw in his dreams last night. to take of his mind of it, he spoke about it to his mother:
"Amma, kal raat ek aur sapna dekha, pura Jaunpur bazaar mein aag lag gaya tha, bahot log jal kar mar gaye, nana bhi wahin the, unka bahot bura haal ho gaya tha. Mai bahot darr gaya tha, nana ko bolo wo aaj bazaar na jaye."
She replied: "Chottu! Aisa kuch bhi nahi hoga, tu chinta na kar, school ja kar padhai kar, magar mai phir bhi nana ko mana kar deti hun, theek hai na."
Chottu smiled and ran away. Off he went to the school, he was happy like never before.
Next part soon.
Stay tuned.
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